Leadership Framework #3: DBS

January 16, 2023

"Common sense vigorously applied"

-Larry Culp, Former CEO Danaher, Current CEO General Electric

The Danaher Business System (DBS) is the system Danaher Corporation built for consistently achieving success. It's fundamental principle; common sense vigorously applied, simplifies a $29B enterprise focused in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied solutions to a logo with 10 headings.

In this third edition of Relentless Pursuit Newsletter for 2023, we will continue our review of common leadership frameworks. The purpose of this series is to educate every reader, both leader and follower, of proven strategies to lead as we are all asked to Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way!

LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK #3: Danaher Business System (DBS)

Danaher Corporation is a strongly performing, yet little known (by consumers), conglomerate with more than 20 operating business in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied solutions. The system they’ve created over the last 39 years has proven to be more than a system; it's been a recipe for success. Danaher's System creates value by providing company leadership a tool to map a process (in a common language), identify waste, and create a framework apply it… while staying focused on a shared purpose!

Five Core Values: The foundation of the system and the focus of every Danaher employee

  1. The best team wins

  2. Customers talk, we listen

  3. Kaizen (continuous improvement) is our way of life

  4. Innovation defines our future

  5. We compete for shareholders

Four P's: People create plans > Plans create process > process creates performance

  1. People

  2. Plan

  3. Process

  4. Performance

Four Values that customers share: Measurement of success aligned with customer needs

  1. Quality

  2. Delivery

  3. Cost

  4. Innovation

One Shared Purpose: Helping realize life's potential

DBS works because DBS is who Danaher is and how they do what they do.

EXAMPLE: As the name DBS implies, Danaher Corporation is the best example of successful DBS implementation.

LEARN MORE: Learn more about DBS here. Sources arranged by level of detail (Watch overview > Listen Interview > Read Investor Summary)

TIP: Fully evaluate your activity

It's common to optimize what you are already doing, but this is only 1/3rd of the equation. Embedded in Mark DeLuzio's explanation of DBS are the other two actions;

  1. Stop doing: What activities are you doing, that you need to (or can) stop to invest the time more productively?

  2. Keep doing: Optimize what you are already doing and measure the improvement

  3. Start doing: What activities can you start doing to tackle a problem, prevent an issue, or accelerate it's solution?

Stay Productive.

Joe House